Pope Francis on Sunday expressed disappointment and fear on the information that Roman Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez, an outspoken critic of the Nicaraguan authorities, had been sentenced to 26 years in jail within the newest transfer towards the Catholic Church and gov…

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Sunday expressed disappointment and fear on the information that Roman Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez, an outspoken critic of the Nicaraguan authorities, had been sentenced to 26 years in jail within the newest transfer towards the Catholic Church and authorities opponents.

Álvarez was sentenced Friday, after refusing to get on a flight to the US with 222 different prisoners, all opponents of President Daniel Ortega. Along with his jail time period, Álvarez was stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship.

“The information that arrived from Nicaragua has saddened me no little,’’ the pontiff advised the devoted gathered in St. Peter’s Sq. for the standard Sunday blessing, expressing each his love and concern for Álvarez.

He known as on the devoted to wish for the politicians accountable “to open their hearts.”

Álvarez was arrested in August together with a number of different monks and lay folks. Ortega ordered the mass launch of political leaders, monks, college students and activists extensively thought-about political prisoners and had a few of them placed on a flight to Washington Thursday. Ortega stated Álvarez refused to board with out with the ability to seek the advice of with different bishops.

Nicaragua’s president known as Álvarez’s refusal “an absurd factor.” Álvarez, who had been held underneath home arrest, was then taken to the close by Modelo jail.